Colonel Bruce D. Mills

Colonel Bruce D. Mills U.S. Air Force, Retired, passed away at Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, at the age of 79. Bruce’s life was marked by his love of God, country, and family. He had a big heart, a keen and often impish sense of humor, and the ability to spin a yarn like no other. His family and friends will miss him dearly.

Bruce was born in Clinton, South Carolina, and graduated from Clinton High School in 1963. Following graduation, he attended the University of South Carolina where he enrolled in ROTC and married his high school sweetheart, Marilyn, his wife of 59 years. He graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1967 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force that same year.

Colonel Mills' distinguished military career was devoted to pioneering next-generation weapons systems that strengthened America's defense posture during the Cold War and beyond. Beginning in 1973 at Andrews AFB, he demonstrated exceptional engineering talent while working on the revolutionary F-111—America's first swing-wing fighter-bomber with terrain-following radar capable of penetrating Soviet airspace undetected—and later the B-1 supersonic strategic bomber, vital components of America's nuclear deterrent strategy. As Cold War tensions escalated, his expertise led him to Eglin AFB, where he masterminded sophisticated engineering and flight tests for air-delivered wide-area anti-armor munitions. These weapons were specifically designed to devastate Soviet armored divisions threatening NATO's borders, offsetting the Warsaw Pact's overwhelming numerical advantage that Pentagon planners feared could overrun Western Europe.

By 1977, recognized as one of the Air Force's most brilliant minds in Research and Development, Colonel Mills was summoned to the Pentagon, where he served in three progressively influential roles: Tactical Weapons Program Element Monitor overseeing the entire Air Force weapons portfolio; Chief of Management Support Division; and Special Assistant to the Director of Development and Production Munitions—an extraordinarily prestigious advisory position for an officer of his rank. His strategic insights and technical mastery during President Reagan's military buildup drew attention from senior defense officials and Congress alike. These accomplishments led to his selection to return to Eglin AFB to lead high-priority classified weapons programs, including next-generation precision-guided munitions that would later revolutionize modern warfare. His exemplary leadership subsequently earned him selection as one of the youngest Program Directors in Air Force Material Command history.

In 1989, Colonel Mills assumed command at Hanscom AFB of the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS), creating the critical communications backbone that enabled unprecedented information sharing across all military branches. His crowning achievement came when he was entrusted with leading the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS)—a technological marvel that integrated advanced commercial and military radar systems. When Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, the Secretary of Defense personally directed Mills to accelerate deployment of the still-in-development JSTARS to support Operation Desert Storm. Under his leadership, these aircraft provided commanders with unprecedented real-time battlefield intelligence that proved decisive in coalition victory, most notably in detecting and destroying Iraqi ground forces during the famous "Highway of Death" operation. This extraordinary wartime contribution earned JSTARS recognition as Air Force program of the year and cemented Colonel Mills' legacy as an exceptional military leader whose engineering brilliance and management acumen directly contributed to American military dominance in the late 20th century. He retired from active duty in 1994, his influence felt throughout a transformed military equipped with technologies that continued to protect American interests worldwide.

While in the Air Force, he received his Masters in Engineering Management / Business Administration and graduated from the Air Command and Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, and was awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal. After retiring from the Air Force in 1994, he worked for Jacobs as a Defense Executive for an additional 22 years before full retirement.

In all of these positions, both in and out of uniform, Bruce had the same reputation: incredible work ethic, incredible knowledge of military systems and how to build them effectively, and incredibly charismatic leadership of his people and team.

He is survived by his loving wife, Marilyn, son Jeff (Melissa) Mills, daughter Katie Mills, sisters Carroll (Lanier) Johnson and Sandra Foster, and brother Joe (Cathy) Hairston, and grandchildren Avery and Jace, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Rufus E. Mills and Jessie Mills-Satterfield, and his sister Barbara Barnes.

In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations to the Wounded Warrier Project or the St. Joseph’s Indian School.

A memorial service to honor Bruce will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, April 3, 2025 at Clinton First Baptist Church in Clinton, SC.

Condolences can be expressed to the family by visiting www.grayfuneralhome.com

Gray Funeral Home of Clinton is assisting the Mills family with arrangements.